Extreme cyclist Sean Conway to ride 4,500 miles across Europe

Extreme cyclist Sean Conway to ride 4,500 miles across Europe

AN ENDURANCE adventurer is saddling up for what he hopes will be a record-breaking bike ride across Europe.

Kendal's Sean Conway is setting off on Monday in a bid to cycle 4,500 miles from Cabo de Roca, on Portugal's west coast, to the eastern Russian city of Ufa in less than 25 days.

The 37-year-old extreme athlete posted a picture of himself on Facebook this week with the message "Wish me luck".

For Sean, who grew his famous ginger beard to fend off jellyfish while swimming the length of Britain, it will be his second attempt to be the fastest cyclist to cross the continent. In August 2017 he was making exceptional progress - covering 800 miles in just four days - when an injury forced him to withdraw.

For his second attempt, Zimbabwe-born Sean will be riding a Stanforth Conway tourer, hand-built in the UK from light-yet-strong Reynolds 853 steel.

The Guinness World Record stands at 29 days, 18 hours and 25 minutes. Sean hopes to knock more than four days off by cycling 180 miles per day - a distance more than twice that of last year's Tour de France (2,200 miles) in roughly the same time (23 days).

The unsupported, 4,500-mile journey will see the former photographer carry all his own kit. He will travel with a range of language cards to help him communicate with local people to find food, water and a place to sleep.

Sean is no stranger to extreme adventure. In 2015 he became the first man in history to cycle, swim and run the length of Britain, and in 2016 he completed a 4,000-mile ultra-triathlon around the coast of Britain. He grew his beard in 2013 when swimming the length of Britain,spending 135 days at sea.

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